A show filled with energy from start to finish!
There was something fun about the crowd at Frost Bank Center before Benson Boone even stepped onstage last night. This wasn’t one of those shows where everyone in the audience looked the same age or came from the same place. There were kids experiencing the excitement of a big concert, groups of friends, parents, and entire families filling the arena. And everyone seemed equally ready for the night to begin.
Before Benson took the stage, Luna Li gave San Antonio a first look at her dreamy indie-pop world. For us, it was our first time seeing her live, and by the end of her set, she was definitely an artist we wanted to know more about.
Then the lights changed, the screams got louder, and Benson Boone appeared.
He didn’t waste a second.
Within the first minute, Benson was already pulling off one of his signature backflips, and the reaction from the crowd said everything. From there, the Wanted Man Tour moved fast, mixing the big songs fans came to hear with newer material, plenty of movement, and a performer who seemed determined to make use of every inch of the stage.
LUNA LI
Opening the night was Luna Li, the project of Korean-Canadian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Hannah Bussiere Kim. Her set brought a completely different mood to the arena, leaning into dreamy vocals, soft psychedelic textures, and indie-pop melodies.
This was our first time seeing Luna Li live, and honestly, we left wanting to hear more.
Songs like “Magic,” “Cherry Pit,” “Golden Hour,” and “Silver Into Rain” introduced the San Antonio audience to her sound, while her version of Harry Styles’ “As It Was” gave the crowd a familiar song to connect with.
What stood out was how much musicality she brought to the stage. Luna Li is known for playing several instruments, including piano, violin, harp, and guitar, and that broad musical background comes through in the way she approaches her songs.
Her set felt like a nice contrast to what was coming next. It was atmospheric and melodic, giving the audience a chance to settle in before the arena shifted into full pop-rock mode.
For many people in the crowd, she may have been a new name. After seeing her live, though, we wouldn’t be surprised if some of them left with her music added to their playlists.
BENSON BOONE
WANTED MAN TOUR
Once Benson Boone hit the stage, the pace changed immediately.
The first backflip got the reaction you would expect, but it also set the tone for the rest of the night. Benson came out with a lot of energy and barely seemed interested in standing in one place. He moved constantly from one side of the stage to the other, made his way down the catwalk, and kept finding ways to get closer to the people packed along the front.
He frequently reached out to fans near the catwalk, touching hands and making sure the people closest to the stage felt part of the show. But even from farther back, the connection was there. The audience knew the songs and wasn’t shy about singing them.
The set opened with “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else,” and continued through “Mr Electric Blue,” “There She Goes,” “Wanted Man,” and “Drunk In My Mind,” balancing newer material with the songs that helped make Benson one of the biggest young names in pop right now.
Then came the stretch of songs that turned Frost Bank Center into one huge singalong.
“Slow It Down,” “Mystical Magical,” and “In The Stars” all received huge reactions, but “Momma Song” brought a different kind of moment. It slowed things down and gave Benson’s voice room to carry the emotion of the song without needing much else around it.
The final part of the set picked things back up with “What Was” and “Cry,” before arriving at the song almost everyone had been waiting for: “Beautiful Things.”
By that point, the crowd was already fully invested, and there was no question about whether they knew the words.
The Band Behind The Show
A big part of what made the night work was the band surrounding Benson. Led by guitarist Sus Vasquez, bassist Matt Kirkwood, drummer Brook Alexander, and keyboardist Chris Potter, the group gave the songs extra weight without taking attention away from Benson.
The live arrangements felt bigger and more physical than simply hearing the songs through headphones. The guitars added punch, the drums kept the energy moving, and the keyboards helped fill out the emotional moments.
It also helped that everyone onstage seemed comfortable with each other. Benson was constantly moving, interacting with the audience, and jumping from one part of the stage to another, while the band kept everything tight behind him.
At one point, Benson took a moment to talk to the crowd about how thankful he was to be able to do this for a living. He also mentioned having a couple of days off in San Antonio and had one observation about the city: it was wicked hot. Really, really hot. The crowd definitely seemed to agree.
FROM ONLINE COVERS TO ARENA STAGES
Benson Boone is part of a new generation of artists whose early connection with audiences happened online before it grew into something much bigger. The singer-songwriter began gaining attention through social media and later reached a wider audience with his powerful voice, emotional songwriting, and ability to turn personal feelings into songs that connect with a lot of different people.
His music moves between pop, rock, and singer-songwriter territory, often built around big vocals and lyrics that feel direct and personal.
Songs like “In The Stars,” “Slow It Down,” and “Beautiful Things” helped introduce him to an even larger audience and turned him into a major live draw.
What seems to connect people to Benson is that combination of vocal ability and personality. He can deliver a huge chorus, then stop to talk casually with the audience. He can be serious one moment and do a backflip the next. That balance was easy to see in San Antonio.
